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<br />Aesthetic Impact Evaluation <br />West End Lofts Project <br /> <br />320 West Fourth Street <br />Santa Ana, California <br /> <br />fac;:ade orientation towards the east-west streets limits windows facing the <br />site. <br /> <br />There is a traditional view looking down the street of an urban commercial <br />corridor that shows continuity of structures with a predominate image of <br />ground floor storefront windows. West Fourth Street has a similar <br />character, although the continuous line of buildings on the northern side of <br />the street ends across from the site with the large landscaped parcel and <br />setback for the 10 story Courthouse building. The proposed project will fill <br />in an empty site and will maintain the overall continuity of the south side of <br />West Fourth Street. Windows along with shade canopies at the ground <br />floor will also provide continuity at the sidewalk level view. <br /> <br />The proposed project will not impact any significant views or vistas and <br />will contribute to the overall existing streetscape aesthetic. <br /> <br />Lighting <br /> <br />Current street lighting is provided by historic double canopy light poles and <br />by general ambient light from stores. The proposed project does not <br />appear to contain any light sources that would change the overall pattern <br />of lighting. Any exterior lighting, including lighting used to illuminate the <br />old sign age should be reviewed by the City of Santa Ana for glare and <br />other non-compatible light sources so that there is no impact from the <br />project lighting. <br /> <br />Daylight and Shadow <br /> <br />The building is located on the south side of the street so that its shadow <br />will generally fall to the north over the sidewalk and street. The building is <br />taller than its adjacent neighbors so that its shadow will also fall over their <br />roofs at certain times of the day during the year. Neither adjacent bulding <br />has an outdoor exterior court. A solar shadow study was prepared by <br />Nestor + Gaffney indicating shadow patterns at three times of the day <br />during the equinoxes and summer and winter solstices. <br /> <br />During Winter months, due to the low sun angle, all of the buildings will <br />cast shadows over the sidewalks. The shadow of the proposed project <br />will extend further, sweeping across the opposite side of the street, mostly <br />consisting of the outdoor area of the Courthouse building. Early morning <br />sun will cast a shadow over the West End Theater Building and Birch <br />Street, however, the sidewalk will already be in shade from the Theater <br />Building. <br /> <br />Kaplan Chen Kaplan <br /> <br />3 <br />80A-62 <br /> <br />December 26, 2006 <br />